Folding top for vehicles.



J. TEPPERT.

FOLDING TOP FOR VEHICLES.

nPLIoATIoN iILnn MAB. s, 1909.

Patented Aug.3o, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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J. TEPPERT.

FOLDING TOP FOR VEHICLES. Aumentan FILED nu.. 9, 1909.

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J TEPPERT FOLDING TOP FOR VBHIGLES.

APPLICATION IILBD HAB. 9, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. TEPPERT.

FOLDING TOP FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 9. 1909.

. Patented Aug.30, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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JOSEPH TEPPERT, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FOLDING TOP FOR VEHICLES.

To all whom 'it-may concern:

Be i't known that I, JOSEPH TEPPERT, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Tops forVehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in foldingextension tops for automobiles.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a foldingautomobile top of a novel construction having concealed joints or braceswhich hold the top rigid and st-able when extended over t-he seats,without the use of front straps, and which enable the top to be readilyfolded back into compact form around the rear seat when not in use andalso hold it from motion and prevent play between the joints or partsthereof when folded, so as to avoid wear at the joints and in thecovering material and prevent rattling.

Other objects of the invention are to provide hinge pieces for joiningthe braces `to the bows of the top, which enable the braces to belocated between the covering and head lining of the top in the verticalplanes of the sides of 'the bows and insure strong connections, andwhich also positively hold the parts of the top from lateral play whenfolded; also to provide means for locking the arms of the braces both intheir extended also to provide the brace joints with guards whichprevent injury 'to the hands of a person when straining the braces inraising the top; also to provide back stay braces and coupling ironstherefor which positively hold the top from vertical and lateral mot-ionwhen folded; and also to improve folding automobile tops in the respectshereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of four sheets: Figure l is aside elevation of an automobile body provided with a top embodying theinvention, showing the top raised and the top covering partially brokenaway to expose the concealed braces. Fig. 2 is a similar view showingthe top folded, the covering being' omitted for the sake of clear1 ness.Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof, on an enlarged scale.Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof, in line 4-4, F ig.l, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is Specification of Letters Patent.Application filed March 9, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910. Serial No. 482,304.

a perspective view, on

an enlarged scale, of one of the top braces larged, of a port-ion of oneof the brace arms.

Fig. ll is a detached perspective View, enlarged, of the guard for thebrace joints.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the body of an automobile, l, 2, 3 and 4 the supportingbows of the top, B the top covering of leather or other suitablefleXible material, b the head lining, C, D and E the braces which arearranged between and connect the bows, and F one of the rear stay braceswhich connect the rear bow 4 with the rear portion of the vehicle body.Four bows are used in t-he top shown in the drawings, but theimprovements are not limited to the number of bows employed.

The intermediate bows 2 and 3 are hinged at their lower ends to bracketsor irons secured on the sides of the vehicle body, and the rear bow 4 ishinged to the lower port-ion of the third bow 3, in the usual manner.The front bow l is preferably providedwith hinge eyes at its lower endadapted to be pivoted to upper eyes o on the second bow j 2 whenthe topis raised, see Fig. 1, and lto be detached from the upper eyes andpivoted to lower eyes a on the second bow when the top is to be folded,see Figs. 2 and 3. A removable pivot pin a2 of any suitable sort isconnected to each leg of the front bow for connecting the hinge eyes. Bythis arrangement the front bow is located higher when the top is up andgives more room for entering the front seat of the vehicle and does notproject rearwardly so far when the top is folded, thus lessening thedistance which the top projects to the rear of the body when folded.

The braces C, D and E are arranged between the upper Vportions of thelegs of the bows in the vertical planes thereof so that they are locatedbetween the depending side portions of the covering B and head lining bof the top and are thereby concealed. Each brace consists, asusual, oftwo arms hinged together, but the braces are arranged to bend or folddownward or toward the pivoted ends of the bows so that they eX- tendforwardly instead of rearwardly when the top is folded, thus leavingunobstructed spaces between the rear or outer portions of the bows toreceive the plaits or folds of the covering B and head lining Z). Thisarrangement permits the top to fold compactly and without projecting farto the rear, and greatly improves the appearance of the folded top aswell as preventing wear on the covering by contact with the braces. Theends of the braces are pivoted to hinge pieces or irons G, Figs. 1, 2and 5, which are firmly secured to the front and rear edges of the bowsand have parallel side plates g between which the ends of the braces arepivoted and which straddle the ends of the braces for a. considerabledistance when the braces are folded, see Figs. 2 and 5. These hingepieces G afford a very strong and secure connection between the bracesand the bows, and rigidly hold the braces from sidewise motion or playwhen they are folded.

Each brace is provided with the following means, see Figs. 7-10, forlocking its arms from movement both when the brace `is straightened andfolded: A sliding bolt H `is arranged in a longitudinal pocket h in onearm of the brace and is adapted, when the brace is straightened, to beprojected by a spring 71,' into a notch h2 in the hinge lug of the otherarm of the brace, as shown in Fig. 7. The bolt is provided with a pin haextending out through a slot in one side of the brace arm by which itcanbe retracted to permit the brace to be bent or folded. Wvhcn the braceis folded the bolt bears against the circular edge of the hinge lughaving the notch h2, and when straightening the brace the bolt ridesover this edge until the brace is fully straightened7 when the boltsprings into the notch h2 and locks the arms of the brace againstfolding. One arm of each brace is provided at a distance from the bracejoint with a projecting lug I, Fig. 9, which is adapted to enter anopening z' in the other arm of the brace, in which it is held by abevel-ended latch bolt a" which is arranged to slide in a pocket in thelatter brace arm and is adapted to be proj ected into a notch 2 in thelug 1 by a spring 3. The latch bolt a" has a. pin t extending outthrough a slot 5 in one side of the brace arm for retracting the bolt,and the slot 275, see Fig. 10, preferably has an angular portion at oneend into which the pin 4 can be turned for holding the bolt retracted.'Vhen the brace is closed or folded, the lug 1, entering the opening c',holds the two brace arms rigidly in the same plane, and the latch bolt,engaging the lug I, locks the brace arms against being opened withoutfirst releasing the latch. One arm of each brace is alsov preferablyprovided near the brace joint with a recess to receive a stud K, Fig. 3,projecting from the adjacent bow to supplement the hinge pieces G inholding the braces and legs of the bows in the same planes and preventlateral motion between braces and bows when the top is folded. It willthus be seen that when the top is folded and t-he arms of the braceslocked by the latches the bows are held spaced apart and the movementthereof toward and from each other is prevented, and the bows and bracesbeing connected near the ends and joints of the braces by the hingepieces G and the studs K, the parts are also held against relative sidemotion, so that the several parts of the top when folded are united andmutually act in holding each other rigid and stationary, which prevent-srattling and wear in the various joints, and also prevents the frameparts from rubbing or chafing and wearing the covering. The unsightlystraps ordinarily used to tie the bows together are also eliminated.

The joint of each brace is preferably provided with a guard, see Figs.7-9 and 11, consisting of a ieXible metal strip L arranged along thelower or outer edge of the brace across the joint with its opposite endsconfined in pockets Z in the brace arms, and a bent U-shaped piece whichstraddles and is secured to the guard strip L and has circular sideplates Z located at opposite sides of the joint and secured to theopposite ends of the pivot pin of the joint. One end of the pivot pin issquare and enters a square hole Z2, Fig. 11, in one of the side plates Zto secure the guard strip L to one brace arm and cause the side platesto turn with this arm when working the joint. Then the brace is openedand closed, the other end of the guard strip slid-es in the pocket Z ofthe other arm of the brace. rfhe guard strip L and side plates Z coverthe opening between shoulders of the joint, both at the outer edge andopposite sides of the brace, and eifectually prevent the hand beingcaught and pinched in the oint when operating the brace, As the bracesare concealed between the cover and head lining and a person cannot seejust where the joint is, the guard is especially desirable in preventinginjury to the hands.

Each rear stay brace F is pivoted at its lower end to a coupling M whichis secured to the usual bracket on the side of the vehicle body. Thiscoupling has spaced side plates between which the end of the brace ispivoted and between which the brace is held rigidly from side motionwhen the top is folded. These rear stay braces are so arranged that whenthe top is folded down the braces can be straightened in the positionshown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which they will hold the top from lifting orbouncing in the motion of the vehicle. The upper end of each brace isadapted to be pivoted by a removable pin in either of a plurality ofholes in a hinge piece on the rear bow 4L. The brace can be pivoted inone or another of the holes as may be necessary to hold the top rigid.This rear stay brace is preferably provided like the other braces, witha lock for locking its arms when straightened, and with a hand guard,such as described, for its joint.

IVhen folding the top the front bow l is disconnected from the upperhinge eyes a of the second bow 2 and hinged to the lower eyes a thereof,and the second bow is disconnected from its brackets on the body andhinged to eyes at the lower ends of the legs of the third bow 3 in theusual manner.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a folding vehicle top, the combination of pivoted bows, jointedbraces connecting said pivoted bows, and hinge pieces which are securedto said bows and to which said braces are hinged, said hinge pieceshaving portions which straddle the arms of the braces at a considerabledistance from their' hinged ends and confine them laterally when the topis folded, and interlocking parts on the arms of said braces forsecuring said arms together between the ends and the joints of thebraces when the top is folded, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding vehicle top, the combination of pivoted bo'ws, jointedbraces con- Anecting said bows and arranged between the legs of the bowsin the vertical planes thereof, hinge pieces which are secured to thefront and rear edges of said bows and to which said bracesI are hinged,said hinge pieces having side Hanges which straddle the arms of thebraces and confine them laterally when the top is folded, and parts onthe arms of the braces between their joints and ends of the braces whichinterlock when the top is folded, substantially as set forth.

3. In al folding vehicle top, the combination of pivoted bows, jointedbraces connecting said bows and arranged to break downwardly for foldingthe top, parts on the arms of the several braces which interlock whenthe top is folded for securing said brace arms together, and parts onthe braces and bows near the joints of the braces which engage when thetop is folded to prevent relative lateral motion of the braces and bows,substantially as set forth.

4. In a folding vehicle top, the combination of pivoted bows, jointedbraces connecting said bows and arranged to break downwardly for foldingthe top, means for securing' the brace arms together when folded, andparts on the braces and bows near the ends and the joints of the braceswhich engage when the top is folded to prevent relative lateral motionof the braces and bows, substantially as set forth.

5. In a folding vehicle top, the combina` tion of pivoted bows, jointedbraces between said bows arranged to break downwardly for folding thetop, hinge pieces on the bows to which said braces are hinged and whichhave parts which engage the end portions of the braces and confine themlaterally when the top is folded, and parts on the several bracesadjacent to the joints of the braces which engage parts on the bows whenthe top is folded to hold the braces from lateral motion, substantiallyas set forth.

6. In a folding vehicle top, the combination of pivot-ed bows, jointedbraces connecting the bows and arranged in the vertical planes of thelegs of the bows to break downwardly for folding the top, interlockingparts consisting of lugs and latches on the arms of the several bracesfor securing the arms of each brace together when folded, and parts onthe several braces adjacent to the brace joints which interlock withparts on the bows when the top is folded to hold the braces from lateralmotion, substantially as set forth.

7. In a folding vehicle top, the combination of pivoted bows, jointedbraces between said bows, a lug on one arm of each brace adapted toenter an opening in the other arm of the brace when the top is folded,and a latch foi` locking said lug in said opening, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination of a vehicle body, a folding top having pivoted bows,braces between said bows, rear stay braces arranged between the rear topbow and the body which brace the rear bow when the top is opened andswing to a downwardly inclined position and securely hold the top whenit is folded, and coupling pieces on the body to which said rear staybraces are pivoted and which have portions that incline rearwardlybeyond the pivots for the stay braces and embrace said stay braces at aconsiderable distance from their pivots and conne them laterally whenthe top is folded, substantially as set forth.

9. In a folding vehicle top, the combination of a jointed brace, and aguard for the brace joint comprising a iieXible strip eX- tending alongthe edge of the brace across the joint, and side plates located atopposite sides of the joint, substantially as set forth. W'itness myhand, this 2d day of March,

JOSEPH TEPPERT. IVitnesses:

C. WV. PARKER, E. C. HARD.

